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Post-doctoral Certificates in Child and Family Studies

Career summary: Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists

Average Salary

$41,500

National Average, Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career Outlook

Excellent

29% job growth by 2022, which is much faster than average

Earn a degree in child and family studies from an accredited college

One of the best ways to prepare for a career in child and family studies is through a college education. A Post-doctoral Certificate will help you develop entry level skills, general child and family studies know how and the basic child and family studies experience you need to start your career off right.
Please select child and family studies school below.

Overview

Why would I want a child and family studies degree?

Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with their family and relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions, to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.

Job Description

What does a mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist do?

Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists typically do the following:

Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression

Encourage clients to discuss their emotions and experiences

Help clients process their reactions and adjust to changes in their life, such as divorce and layoffs

Guide clients through the process of making decisions about their future

Help clients develop strategies and skills to change their behavior and to cope with difficult situations

Coordinate treatment with other professionals, such as psychiatrists and social workers

Refer clients to other resources or services in the community, such as support groups or inpatient treatment facilities

Salary

How much do mental health counselors make?

The median annual wage for mental health counselors was $40,080 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,430, and the top 10 percent earned more than $66,630.

Career Outlook

How popular are mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist jobs?

Employment of mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected in both occupations as more people have mental health counseling services covered by their insurance policies.

Federal legislation mandating individual health coverage may increase the number of health insurance customers. In addition, the law requires insurance plans to cover treatment for mental health issues in the same way as other chronic diseases. These two factors will open up prevention and treatment services to more people who were previously uninsured, did not have these services covered, or found treatment to be cost-prohibitive. Mental health centers and other treatment and counseling facilities will need to hire more mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, to meet this increased demand.

Career Path

How do I become a mental health counselor?

To become a mental health counselor or a marriage and family therapist, applicants typically need a masterâs degree in psychology, social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related mental health field. A bachelorâs degree in most fields is acceptable to enter a masterâs-level program.

Counseling programs prepare students to recognize symptoms of mental and emotional disorders and to use effective counseling strategies. Marriage and family therapy programs teach students about how marriages, families, and relationships function and how they affect mental and emotional disorders.

Learning Format

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